University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire

Paul and John Christopher were two of the greatest tennis players in UWEC history. The brothers, graduates of Eau Claire Memorial High School, are part of a set of triplets that also includes a sister Judy who was a Blugold gymnast. From 1971-74, they helped Coach Robert Scott establish the Blugolds as a conference and district power in tennis. Paul played at No. 1 and John at No. 2 for four years and they joined forces at No. 1 doubles during the same period. Paul produced a 63-19 singles record and John a 67-18 mark. As a doubles team, they compiled a 58-20 career record. As seniors, they won their respective flight championships to help the Blugolds annex their first WSUC tennis title. Blugold teams would win six more WSUC crowns by 1981. Also in 1974, they helped the Blugolds claim their first ever NAIA District 14 team title to qualify for the NAIA Nationals in Kansas City. The two had advanced to the nationals the previous years as individual qualifiers. The Blugolds finished 21st and 22nd in the NAIA Nationals in 1973 and 1974. During their sophomore season, they won the league's No. 1 doubles title and were runners-up in 1974. Paul won the NAIA District 14 singles championship in 1973 and John was the runner-up the following year. The brothers also received Eau Claire's WSUC Scholar-Athlete award in back-to-back years of 1973 and 1974. At that time, each school had just one winner per year.  

After graduation, John's first job was as a biology teacher at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids. He then followed his brother to New Jersey and has been a tennis pro since that time. He has also been a chemistry teacher and boys and girls head tennis coach at West Essex Regional High in New Jersey since 1982. At the time of his induction, as the boys coach, he had won five conference titles and a state championship in 1985, the same year in which he was the state Coach of the Year. On the girls side, he had won five conference titles with a state championship in 1993.